Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Peggy zoomed the camera in on Elsie. “Don’t hide now. Let’s get a good look at the leading lady in this family soap opera. So proud to be hugging her big brother, huh?”
Elsie sobbed and ducked behind Owen. Owen, livid, reached out and blocked the camera. “Get that out of my face!”
Peggy taunted, “I recorded everything your little sister said earlier. She said she ranks first in your family. Now I get it-she earned that spot by sleeping with her own brother!”
“Shut up! That’s slander-it’s illegal!” Owen shouted, completely losing control.
Peggy grinned. “Go ahead. Sue me!”
Owen, overwhelmed by rage, slapped her across the face.
Peggy froze for a second, then slowly turned her head back. Without a word, she lowered her head and dialed the police. “Hello? I want to report an assault. I was raped-then beaten up by him and his family! Please hurry, Officer. If you don’t get here soon, they’ll kill me!”
Owen and Elsie stared at her, horrified. They hadn’t expected her to go this far.
Peggy looked at them calmly. Instead of freaking out, she started tugging at her hair, making a tangled bird’s nest. Then she ripped her clothes.
Owen was stunned. “What the hell are you doing?”
Peggy gave him a chilling smile and walked out to wait at the door for the police.
Elsie was speechless. She had finally met her match-Peggy was even more shameless, more ruthless. Compared to her, Elsie felt like a schoolgirl.
Not wanting this to blow up further, Owen followed Peggy out and tried to reason with her. “Let’s settle this privately. Call them off.”
Peggy glanced at him with a smirk. “We’re not even married and you’re already trying to control me?” Then she added, “You want me to cancel the call? Fine. Marry me right now. Go get the marriage license.”
Owen was speechless.
Peggy waited until she heard the approaching footsteps of the police. Then, like flipping a switch, she threw herself into full drama mode. She grabbed Owen’s hand and shoved her hair into it. “Please stop! Don’t hit me anymore! I can’t take it!”
“Let go of her! I’m warning you-step back or I’ll use my taser!” one of the officers barked.
Owen turned beet red under their harsh gazes. “It’s not what it looks like, Officer. Please, let me explain!”
Elsie jumped in. “Yeah! She’s faking it. Don’t believe her, Officer!”
The cops looked at them, then turned to Peggy.
The officer’s expression turned stern. “Do you think we’re blind? That huge handprint on her face-did she slap herself?”
“…I only hit her once,” Owen mumbled. “The rest wasn’t me.”
No Way Out
“Do you have any idea how the law works? One slap is still assault!” the officer barked. He waved his hand. “All of you-come with me. You’ll stay at the station until your families show up to settle this.”
Owen and Elsie’s faces fell. Family? What family did the Saunders even have left?
Lily was still being held by the court.
But the police didn’t care. They hauled everyone down to the station anyway.
With visible injuries on Peggy’s face, it was easy to build a case. She firmly claimed both Owen and Elsie had attacked her.
And she absolutely refused to let Owen take the fall alone-she made sure Elsie was dragged into it too.
Once it was confirmed that Owen and Elsie were at fault for intentional assault, Peggy delivered a brutal blow: “I also want to report Owen for rape. His DNA’s on my underwear. Test it if you don’t believe me.”
Owen was stunned into silence.
The police tried calling the emergency contact number Owen had given them. It didn’t go through.
He’d listed his older brother’s number-the only family member he still had any hope of relying on.
Owen didn’t want to spread this scandal, so he’d kept it quiet. But without someone to post bail, he was looking at a holding cell.
Left with no choice, he borrowed the officer’s phone and called Yunice.
Since it was an unknown number, Yunice actually picked up. She only ignored calls from the Saunders family.
“Yunice, it’s me-Owen. I’m being held at the police station,” he said through gritted teeth. He hated asking her for help and knew she’d probably mock him, but he was out of options.
To his surprise, Yunice didn’t immediately ridicule him. Instead, she asked, “Which station?”
Owen’s heart lifted slightly. “River Road precinct.”
Just before she could hang up, he rushed to add, “And don’t bring Wyatt. Come by yourself, okay?”
Yunice glanced up at Wyatt sitting across from her. It was clear he’d overheard.
She didn’t answer Owen-just hung up.
Wyatt grabbed a wet wipe to clean his hands. “I’ve got a meeting today. Can’t make it.”
He clearly had no intention of going with her.
Getting up, he said, “Have the driver take you. Call me if something comes up.”
Yunice gave a small nod. Once Wyatt’s car pulled away, she headed for River Road Station with the housekeeper.
She told the housekeeper to wait in the car and went in alone.
Inside the lobby, two women were seated on the station bench: one was Peggy, hair a mess, clothes torn and filthy.
The other was Elsie, sitting blank-faced.
Yunice scanned the room, then spotted Owen behind bars in a temporary holding cell.
One of his wrists was chained to the metal bars. His head hung low, the picture of defeat.
Yunice almost laughed. Ever since she came back, Owen had been like a walking curse-everything just fell apart around him.
When he saw Yunice, Owen suddenly lit up. The cuffs rattled as he sprang up and grabbed the bars with both hands. “Yunice! Come here! I need to talk to you!”
But the officer wasn’t about to let them have a private chat. Seeing Yunice arrive, he waved her over to fill out the intake paperwork.
Owen banged the bars in frustration. “Yunice! You’ve got to believe me! I didn’t do anything-Peggy’s lying!”
Yunice looked away and followed the officer.
Once the paperwork was done, the officer gave her a quick rundown.
“At the moment, we’ve received a report from Miss Peggy. She claims she was raped by Owen while he was drunk. The underwear containing his DNA has already been sent in for testing.”
“If the test comes back positive, and if there are signs of physical trauma on her body, Owen could be formally charged with rape and held in custody.”
Yunice visibly froze at the word “rape,” but quickly composed herself.
She didn’t seem to take it too seriously. Her gaze shifted to the bench, where Elsie was sitting.
“And what about Elsie?” she asked.